A Precious Child
by AnonymousCreep
Summary: What would you do if on Christmas morning, you found a strange Gray Man rummaging through your presents? What if he said he could help you get whatever you wanted? Will be continued if there are enough reviews...
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight usually streamed across the quilt around this time in the morning, but not today. The sky was overcast with gray clouds; which spilled white diamonds across the stark blanket covering the once green ground.

It was snowing.

Stirring under the heavy quilt, a head of brown hair peaked out from under the covers. Slowly one golden eye cracked open, then the other, and both blinked groggily at the gray light in the bedroom. A quiet moment passed. Then, explosion as the girl shrieked in excitement at the realization that it was every child's most important day: Christmas.

Throwing back the covers and scrambling out of bed, the girl stumbled across the floor, forgetting to put on her house slippers, barely able to get across the carpet without tripping over her various toys and scattered pink tutus, dolls, books and the like.

As she raced down the stairs, she suddenly stopped. Something was rustling in the living room where the Christmas tree was settled. A bit of anger arose in her stomach. Someone was up before her? Bothering her presents? She stormed down the rest of the stairs only to find herself looking at an empty tree skirt under a lit tree and a tall figure dressed in black...holding her presents.

Staring wide-eyed at each other, the girl could only manage a squeak. The figure, with cold hazel eyes, looked back, and with a voice deep and smooth and dark, said, almost in an unpracticed fashion, "My, what a precious child."

**Ending One**

**"The Gray Man"**

Again, the girl could only squeak. Only when the tall man flashed a tiny grin, did she find it in herself to say, "Those are mine. My parents got those for me." At the man's amused smirk, she added, her gold eyes flashing a little stronger, "Put them back where you found them, and get out." The man laughed, first deep and quiet, then louder, near manic cackling. The girl noticed, with fear creeping up her back, that his skin was pale gray.

And that he lacked eyebrows, but that only added to his frightening exterior; without any outer implications to his emotions, she couldn't tell just what this..._creature_ was thinking or feeling.

And all this laughing! Why didn't her parents hear it and wake up?

"Oh, that's rich. Rich!" the man said, his cackle dwindling to a mere chuckle. "A little girl who doesn't believe in Santa Claus? You say your parents got these presents for you?" he kept laughing through his speech, as though he had the 'giggles.'

"A little human girl who doesn't believe in Santa Claus!" he shouted, spreading his arms in a wide arc. Looking down at her, the man said, "And I suppose you don't believe in the Easter Bunny either? Or the Tooth Fairy?" The girl shook her head. "My parents said they weren't real. They buy all my presents and hide them from me, but I usually find them," the girl said, to which the man interjected, "A mischievous mite, aren't we?" The girl continued on, "And my mom comes in late at night to take my teeth when I put them under my pillow. At least she gives me more than a stupid quarter, like the Tooth Fairy. And I always go to the Community Easter Egg hunts in the park, and everyone says the Easter Bunny was there before we all woke up to hide the eggs, but I know all the adults do it while all us kids are distracted eating Easter lunch."

"And I know about the Sandman, but I don't know a lot about him. He sounds like a bully, throwing sand in people's faces. One time at the beach, I fell and got sand in my eyes. It hurt, so I think I'd be really scared if a strange man came into my room at night sprinkling that stuff in my eyes." The girl said. The man had been mostly quiet through her tirade, save for a few amused chuckles. "And not one mention of Frost." He said now. It almost sounded like a question. "Who?" the girl asked, taking a step back as the tall man stepped forth.

In her fit of talkativeness, she'd forgotten how scary this gray man was with his sharp teeth and strange skin. "Frost. Jack Frost, child. Have you not heard of him?" the man said, leaning down to look her in the eye. "U-uh, that guy in that one song? That, uh, bites your nose, or whatever?" the girl said. The man's brow furrowed in confusion. "Song?"

"Yeah. Y'know..." the girl proceeded to sing a few lines of 'that one song'.

"Ches'nuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nippin' at your nose..."

"That one? You know that one?" she asked. "I've never heard of it." the man said. "And anyway, I'd like to see him try to bite my nose. I'd kill him if he tried." The girl gasped quietly, eyes wide. The gray man smiled and turned away, his robes sweeping after him. "Dear child, you must believe. We are real. Do you ever have nightmares?" he asked, menially twirling the red ribbon from a bow on a neatly wrapped present around one long gray finger. "Yeah. I hate them." The girl said behind him. "Do you?"

The gray man laughed. "Oh, no, no, no. In fact, I haven't had one in quite a long time. You see," he said, picking up a silver ball ornament from the branches of the evergreen tree and inspecting his reflection with it, "I am the one who gives people nightmares. But I don't have to. I can choose not to give them frightening night terrors." The girl took a step forward, interested. "Really? Can you do that for me? I don't want to have nightmares. Sometimes they get really bad when it's stormy outside, and I think that I can see red eyes in the shadows in the corners, or in the hall. Sometimes I think that I can hear my parents disappearing forever." She said excitedly. The man grinned. "Disappearing forever?"

"Yeah. They're always leaving for work an' stuff. They travel a lot to make money. I ask them to stay with me and not travel so much and they tell me not to be selfish; if they didn't travel, they wouldn't have money to buy me presents." The girl said, her voice lonely. Turning to her, the gray man said, "I could help you. But, you must do one thing in return. I need you to believe in me. I need you to believe that I can make your bad, scary dreams go away. Forever if you want. Everyone else doesn't care about your fears; your parents leave you, I bet you don't have any real friends. I bet they only play with you because your parents have so much money." At the girl's slowly angering face, he smiled and continued, "Oh yes, child, we are real. Your parents were wrong. Santa Claus does in fact exist, but he is only here to do you harm. He never did anything for you; neither did the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny. They may as well not exist."

"But don't worry. If you'll only help me, we can make sure that they don't desert another child again. Wouldn't you like that? To be the savior of childhood? To make sure no child ever suffers like you?" The girl looked up at him, wide eyed. "Can I? I'm just one girl. I'm not even 10 yet; I'm seven."

"Oh, but dear child, I'll be there to guide you, every step of the way. I won't desert you." The gray man said. The girl looked at her feet. Something in her head, a small voice in the back of her naïve young mind, told her that something was wrong. That she shouldn't accept. This was...wrong. But everything this man said was true. She didn't even like her friends, and her parents wouldn't mind; they were hardly around anyway.

And quite frankly, she didn't want that Sandman thing throwing more sand in her eyes.

Her gaze returned to the smiling hazel eyes of the gray man. "I...I guess it'll be okay."

The man smiled. "Welcome aboard. What might your name be?" he said. The girl answered, "Ana. Anaheim Love." The gray man nodded. "Wonderful. I am Pitch. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ana."

**Ending Two**

**"The Man from the Christmas Song"**

"My, what a precious child."

The girl looked up at the towering creature. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Get out of my house." She said, her voice weak. "Mm, that's right. Assert yourself! Show me that you aren't terrified of me!" the man laughed sarcastically. "You'd better leave. You shouldn't be here; I'll call the police." The girl said. "The police? Oh, I don't think I'll have to worry about them. They can't do anything to me that I do not want them to." The gray man said. "Nuh-uh. The police can do anything. Stupid." She said, defiance staining her young voice. The gray man laughed, moving in long, slow strides towards the girl. Her eyes widened. "Stupid? How adorable."

"Tell me, have you ever had nightmares, little girl?" the tall man asked. He loomed over her like a malevolent force. This was more than the girl had bargained for. This strange man gave off a pungent fear and made her want to run and hide. But her feet disobeyed her and stayed put where they were. Her seven year old instincts kicked in and she shouted, "Mom?"

The room suddenly grew darker. "Are you afraid of the dark? Afraid of the things that slither and crawl through the shadows when you aren't looking? Of the pale hands that reach out when your back is turned and threaten to pull you into the pitch black with them?" The man said, slinking over her, seeming taller, more expansive and much more violent.

"Mom!"

"Have you ever had nightmares?"

"Have you?"

The voice was everywhere, and the gray man suddenly snarled, but too late. A wall of cold air slammed into him, making him stagger. Regaining his bearings, he hissed and disappeared in a swirl of black shadows. The girl looked around wildly, searching for the gray man or the voice. A cool breeze rushed by her, and as she looked up, swiping strands of sleepy brown hair from her eyes, she found herself looking into the face of someone much older than her. A man with white hair in a messy, spiked fashion on his head and sharp blue eyes, that laughed and danced, despite his determined expression. An outdoorsy, cool smell hung off of his blue hooded sweatshirt, like the woods smelled when it snowed. Despite the below freezing temperatures outside, the man was barefoot, his skin white as the snowflakes that clung to his clothes and was a tad blue, but not enough to notice in a blink. The strange crook he held in his hand was frosted over.

Frosted. Jack...Jack Frost?

Like that one guy in that one Christmas song?

"You alright?" this one guy from that one Christmas song asked, looking down at her. She stared at him wide-eyed. "You're barefoot." Was all she could manage to say. The man looked at his feet. "Uh. Yeah. Yeah, I am. But are you okay?"

"It's freezing outside."

"Right. I guess that means you're fine." The man from the Christmas song said. "How'd you get in here?" The girl asked. "Through the window, of course." The man said with a quick smile. The girl looked at the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. They were all closed, locked tight. How...? It was impossible. How did he really get in?

When she looked back for him, the man was almost gone from the room. He had a light footed, airy way of moving, like the wind was gently pushing him along, carrying him on its current. "I'm scared. Who was that man? Why was he in here?" the girl said. "Don't worry. He's not going to bother you anymore-"

"Are you Jack Frost or something?" the girl asked. The man grinned. "Well that's a first. Usually I just get 'that one guy from that Christmas song'." The man Jack answered. "If I'm lucky." The girl managed a tiny smile in the midst of her fear. Jack's eyes grew brighter and he smirked. "Yeah! There we go. Smile a little. If you smile you won't be scared." The girl felt brighter and warmer, now laughing along with Jack. The whiny of horses was hard outside, fierce, loud and frightening. The living room dimmed slightly as shadowy blur in the distinct shape of horses raced by the windows outside. The girl gasped, clinging to Jack's sleeve. "Hey, I said, don't worry. Smile, remember? Smile and you won't be scared anymore."

The girl sniffled and nodded, a determination spread on her face. "O-okay. I'll try." Jack smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

And he was gone from the room, with a gentle breeze of cold air being the only evidence that he had been there. The girl watched the living room doorway for a moment, not exactly sure what she was looking for. Then she ran to the window, plastering her face to the glass. She pushed as far as she could, craning to look at the ground below. Her breath formed mist on the glass.

Suddenly, the girl jumped back in surprise as a human shape raced across her field of vision, flying through the air. "Wow!" she squealed, running from window to window to keep Jack in her sights, watching through the panoramic view the floor-to-ceiling windows offered. But he was gone then, a speck on the up drafting wind in the sky.

**Which ending do you like better? If there are enough reviews and feedback, which means creative criticism, or just to say you like the story, then I will continue it!**

**-AC**


	2. Chapter 2

Hazel eyes inspected the golden lights sprinkled and clustered across a thin, black sphere. The sphere, a globe of earth, was sandy in texture and was pieced together in such a way that most of the globe was made up of only the continents. The hazel eyes belonged to the gray man, a tall black cloaked figure with dark gray skin. Only a few people, his enemies and _her_, knew of his real name, Pitch Black. To the rest of the world, he was simply the Boogeyman. The golden lights on the globe belonged to the children of the world, those who believed. They glowed brightly throughout the planet, and one of them shone even in the darkness of the underground. It was her.

The gray man turned slightly, just enough to see the little light he'd grown from youth. She sat on a gray staircase hewn from the stone walls of the underground cave. Her face was slightly concealed by the large fur-lined hood that hung on her head. In her hands, she appeared to be experimenting with a small, flat box shaped device. Her fingernails were painted.

"What's that you've got there?" the gray man asked. The girl didn't look up from the device's screen. "It's a video game. You can press the buttons on the console and make your character do things like jump and kill stuff. You might like it, but it's probably too complicated for you, since you're kind of old." She said, her fingers flying. The gray man Pitch snorted. "Please. I've been around for a long time, but I assure you I am not outdated. There are those before me who are even more matured than I." He turned around fully, looked at the girl's painted nails. "Your nails...they're purple."

"Yeah. I painted skulls on them too."

"...anyway, come down here. I have a task for you."

The girl pocketed the game console before sliding off the ledge and landing with a soft thump on the rock floor. As she padded up to stand next to Pitch, he said, "Do you remember what I told you when you first came down here seven years ago?" The girl nodded. "Yes. That we'll save the world together from the Guardians." She paused, the corners of her mouth turning up in an excited little smile. "You don't mean-is it really time?" Pitch smiled next to her, borderline manic. "Yes, child. This is what I trained you for. It is time. We'll strike down the Guardians one by one, until the last one is pleading for mercy under our cold gaze."

"If they can with my boot crushing their throat." The girl added, a twisted humor in her voice. Pitch patted her head. "I've taught you well. Our biggest threat as of now is Frost, my dear. Without him, the Guardians will be nothing; it will be as if they never knew victory in the first place. Strike the king down and the pawns shall follow."

The girl grinned under her hood, her golden eyes glinting coldly. "The queen advances forward for checkmate."

"Precisely. You know what to do, Ana. Make me proud."

Her search, Ana decided, would be quick, but properly thought through. The first thing to do, before mythical blood of any Guardian was to be spilled, was to lure them into the open; it just so happened that Ana knew just how to draw them out-or, at least one in particular.

Standing outside of the hole in the ground, the hole that led to the cave that she and Pitch lived in, Ana pulled her hood closer around her head, as a cold wind rustled her long coat. In her boots, her stockinged toes curled in chills. She swore, "d*mn the weather", her words muffled by the fur on her hood. Once the wind subsided, she looked back at the ragged little bed frame that covered the hole in the ground, and murmured, "I'll make you proud." She reached into her pockets and scooped out some black sand. This was black Dreamsand, Pitch's favorite trick he had adapted from the Sandman and it wasn't easy to make. He'd taught her to fight with it, hoping that she would learn to use it like he could. But since she was human, she had a hard time using it.

Ana tossed the sand into the air, watching it spread into the air and take the shape of horses, a fleet of tiny steed, which trotted around her in circles, awaiting her commands. She pointed above the trees, in each direction, "Disperse! Invade the dreams of the children." With a whiny, the horses galloped through the sky, steam blowing from their nostrils and their red eyes glowing, over the trees. To one reluctant stallion, Ana called to it, "Not you. You'll be my ride into the area. Come here." The horse shook its head and trotted back to her, growing in size. Ana bit her lip, and cautiously reached out to the horse. She had never tried to use the specialized sand like this, and she was a little curious about how it worked...

Ana shut her mouth as soon she realized that it was she who was screaming across the night sky. Breathing heavily, she looked wildly around the flanks of the horse at the ground below. The city was beautiful up there, above the clouds. Little multicolored dots speckled the earth below, signs of life. The horse was soft, as it was made of sand, but brittle enough to hold her but Ana still found herself not trusting was she felt and saw. Sensing her fear, the nightMare whinnied and tossed its head, warning her that her fear would possibly result in the horse killing her. Ana realized this, and calmed herself, taking deep breaths and fixing a steeled glint in her eyes. Everywhere, she could see networks of black streaks as the army of nightMares that she had dispersed traveled from house to house, infecting the golden sand, the sweet dreams of the city's children, of the jolly Sandman with their fear.

Call it special delivery from Pitch Black.

Ana drove the horse towards the earth, telling it to land on a certain building. The horse dove straight down, so suddenly that Ana had to grit her teeth to keep from screaming again. To her great annoyance, the horse began to break apart and cloud around her, somehow keeping her aloft a few feet from the ground as it closed in the distance from the lawn of the house. But, sensing her objective, it hovered close to the second story window, where Ana peered inside. It was the window of a boy's room. Posters advertising movies and mythical creatures hung on his walls, interesting little toys and books littered the floors and the desk that sat in the corner. In his heavily quilted bed, a boy was sleeping soundly. Ana smirked. This one was hers.

Steadying herself on the cloud of Black Sand, Ana slipped a sliver of silver, a thin, long piece of what looked like mercury, from the belt under her coat. She carefully stuck it through the tiny space between the parallel windows and...flicked up. She heard the satisfying click of the latch on the other side of the window and proceeded to push them open. Hopping onto the windowsill and quickly slipping inside, she turned around just in time to see the Black Sand cloud sail over her head and begin to swirl over the sleeping boy's like an angry hurricane. At the presence of an interrupting dream, the current dream, a golden scene playing just over the boy's form, recoiled, and evaporated as the invading nightMare took its place. Ana watched thoughtfully, looked at her own pale hand, wondering if she would ever be able to control the Sand.

"That would be nice." She murmured, a smile on her face. Her work was done here; now all she had to do was wait until her prey showed up. Maybe she could find someplace to get a warm drink, God knows it was cold tonight. If she even had to hide in a basket of someone's freshly dried laundry to get warm, she would. Ana smiled at the childhood thought of when she used to hide in the warm clothes straight from the dryer, getting on the housekeeper's nerves whenever she found her asleep in a basket of the soothing, clean clothes.

Ana turned to go and jumped at the cold blue eyes that stared back at her from the windowsill. Against the moon, she could hardly make out the features of the silhouetted newcomer, but she knew who this was. She recognized those laughing, icy blue eyes from her youth.

"Jack Frost."

She could tell that he was smiling now. "You know me; who are you?" He said, but then paused; he seemed to recognize something. Ana found herself trying to turn her head ever so slightly so as to hide her face from him, but immediately stopped, realizing how foolish she was being. Who cared if he remembered her? "And you can see me...?" Ana laughed quietly, her golden eyes smirking. Yes, she knew why he was so fascinated in her being able to see him. No one had ever believed in him, so no one could ever see him. It had been that way for years apparently. "Why wouldn't I? I've been raised knowing that you exist. I take it I'm not the first who's seen you?" Ana said. Jack's tone was even. "Thankfully, no. It was him." He gestured behind her at the sleeping boy with his wooden crook. "Jamie." Ana's thinking was lightning quick. First name basis? He must really have taken an interest to this boy. A soft spot? She'd have to remember that.

"So if you don't mind, I'd like to know what you're doing in here. Lost?" Jack asked, gripping his wooden crook tighter. Ana saw it from her peripheral vision. This was it; if she could just get him tangled up enough to follow her, make him think that she was dangerous enough to need to be handled immediately, she could get him to her turf and end this at her leisure.

"No. I'm fine. Just doing my job." Ana responded. "Well if you aren't lost, I think it's time you left." Jack said. "Or I'll have to deal with you." Ana grinned and in one fluid motion, scooped some Sand from her coat pocket and threw it in Jack's direction. It temporarily distracted him and pushed past him through the open window. Ana followed suit, jumping past him, out of the window onto the back of the newly formed nightMare. Laughing, she called, "You'll have to catch me first!" The nightMare galloped across the black sky at breakneck speed. It whinnied, apparently eying something flanking them. Ana looked back to see Frost following them in his weird style of wind current riding. She grinned. This was good.

The black horse whinnied in protest to her spurring, but flew through the sky even faster. Jack was persistent; the next thing Ana knew, the nightMare was frozen, literally, and she was falling through the air. She was hyperventilating now. Oh, God, she was going to die. The Black Sand snaked itself from her pocket and swarmed around her, jerking her as it stopped her midfall. It carried her to the nearest shadowed area, an unlit alley between two buildings, and returned to her pocket. Ana heaved a sigh of relief. She'd have to thank Pitch later. She looked up to the sky, just as Jack flew overhead.

Once she was sure he was gone, she willed the sand to drop her onto the roof of one of the buildings. Seating herself on the edge, she ran a hand through her hair and caught her breath, looking around for any signs of Frost. Sitting there, she scanned over the landscape, something catching her eye in the park. Ana furrowed her brow. "What is that?" she breathed. A large light (candlelight, maybe?) was coming from the city park. Curious, she again spilled out the Sand for its service and rode the cloud to the spectacle.

The cloud dropped her off a distance from the crowd that had gathered in the public park. Pulling her hood over her head, Ana walked briskly to the people, who held candles, flashlights and other means of portable light, wondering what they were all doing out here. She pushed through the crowd, murmuring apologies to the people she pushed past. They seemed to be circling around a specific spot. Ana made her way to the inner ring and came to rest at what the people had come to see. Flowers had been propped on wire holders, rose petals scattered around and candles burning in their holders warded off darkness around a few framed pictures of a smiling little girl. She looked maybe six or seven, with a big happy grin and hazel eyes. Her brown hair was neatly combed and the barrette in her hair was so familiar... Ana's eyes grew wide.

This was her.

Seven year old Anaheim Love smiled back at fourteen year old Ana.

Ana asked anyone who was listening, "What is this for?" A woman next to her, in a white pillow coat answered her. "We do this every year now. The daughter of a prominent businessman who lives here went missing on Christmas morning seven years ago. She was so young; seven years old. The police think that she was kidnapped by the housekeepers, since there was no sign of struggle. Her parents didn't hear anything." With a sigh and a pause, the woman continued, "She hasn't been found yet. So we have a candlelight vigil for the daughter every year."

Ana breathed evenly. "What is the man's name?" she asked. "Mark Love. The little girl's name was Anaheim. What a pretty name." the woman swooned. Ana looked down at the photos. Leave it to her parents to do something like this. They probably had a field day planning this for extra publicity points. She snorted, and then looked up. She felt someone looking at her.

Jack was perched on his crook, balancing on top of a street lamp on the walkways that cut across the park. He looked at the makeshift vigil, then at her, a discontent look on his face. His eyes bore slow realization. Ana snarled, suddenly angry, and without thinking, summoned the Sand and threw a silver sliver, like the earlier one used to pick the window, in one motion. The sliver nicked Jack's right arm, cutting through his sleeve and hitting skin. In her cloud, she soared across the sky, leaving the screaming, bewildered crowd behind. Knowing Frost was coming up behind her, she whirled around and hurled two throwing slivers, hearing the satisfying cries of Jack as one sliver cut through his shoulder, and the other barely missed his side.

Ana steered the cloud towards the Hole. She had to end this quick, she was already losing her resolve. Frost was a crafty one and if she lost her mind while fighting him, he would probably kill her. She growled. Daring a glance behind her, she simultaneously slipped another silver dart from the belt under her coat. But Frost was gone. "What?" Ana turned her head too late. The collision knocked her senseless. As she plummeted toward the earth, she caught sight of Jack falling through the air too, struggling to regain his balance with his weird flying. Hyperventilating, Ana screamed, "Pitch!" not caring if Jack could hear her in her weakest moment, screaming for her caretaker's help, when she was clearly capable of taking care of herself.

The Sand snaked from her coat pocket and wrapped itself around her. It carried her through the trees toward the clearing where the hole leading to Pitch's cave was located. It dropped her by the hole with a light thump in the snow. Ana took deep breaths to steady her heart. With a shaky, but steely voice, she told the Sand, "Send him a warm welcome for me." The Sand swirled at her feet and shot through the trees, whispering a nightmarish whistle as it went. Ana slid under the decrepit bed frame and into the hole.

"Frost is here."

Pitch watched the black globe. He looked uninterested. "Took longer than I thought it would." Pitch said. "What of the specialized sand I made for you?" Ana reached into her pocket and felt loose sand slip through her fingers. "It worked well. For drawing Frost out I mean. But..."

"But what?"

"I need your Sand. Mine isn't strong enough to kill him. Maybe injure him, but definitely not end him."

Pitch turned and frowned at Ana. "You are human. You already know that you cannot use my Sand, which is why I made Sand especially for you." Ana looked back at the entrance of the cave. She expected Jack to fall through the hole any minute. Was Pitch stalling? So that she would be forced to fight him? Even though he knew that her Sand was not strong enough to kill Frost easily? Was he testing her? "Please? I can handle it. Just give me a little bit and I can do it."

Noises above the cave, made her whirl around and take her eyes off of Pitch. Jack was here. She looked back for Pitch, but upon turning back, she found him gone...and in his place, a little swirl of black Sand, weaving and snaking in the air. Ana opened her pocket and welcomed the Sand inside, silently thanking Pitch.

When Jack slid inside the cave, she was already high above him, perched on a ledge. Hiding in shadow, she readied a silver sliver, determined his next movement, and threw the sliver hard. Somehow, Frost saw it in time and held up his crook, letting the sliver catch in the wood. He blasted the ledge with ice, but Ana had moved on. Sliding down the rock slopes hewn into the wall, Ana hurled three more slivers at Jack, in such a way that the thrown slivers flew at an angle. She grinned, manic, when she heard him cry out, falling to one knee.

'Gotcha.' One of the slivers at caught itself in his left leg. A good spot if she said so herself, since she'd noticed that he seemed to jump off from that leg to fly. Once again in a perch in the shadows, she observed her wounded prey. There was something white, almost clear running down Jack's leg, where the sliver had punctured his skin. It wasn't flowing down smoothly. It was almost as if it was slowly semi freezing to his pant leg, like melting ice, chips of the stuff flowing through it, running down a smooth surface. Interesting...

Jack pulled the sliver out with grimace. Ana smiled. This would be fun. "I know you're there, Pitch. Why don't you quit hiding and come out?" he called. The Sand was growing restless in her pocket. "I wonder..." Ana thought aloud. She waved her hand over her pocket, and the Sand followed it like a magnet, forming into the shape of a wicked looking thorn, long, spiraled and thin. Ana would have laughed in success if it didn't mean giving away her position to Jack. Pitch's Black Dreamsand worked! Ana threw the thorn, listening to it whistle through the air. Jack froze it with his crook in midair, but Ana couldn't have cared less. The Dreamsand worked. She launched herself from her perch, arcing the sand in a dangerous crescent motion. It slashed through the front of Jack's blue hoodie, nicking skin, but he was quick on his feet, dodging it just barely. Grunting as he favored his left leg, he looked up at her, blue eyes filled with confusion. "It's you? You're controlling the sand?" Ana smiled, unable to keep the primal snarl off of her face. "Yeah. Pitch and the Sandman aren't the only ones who can control the Dreamsand."

Jack grinned a small grin, and it was Ana's turn to look vaguely confused. "Why do you smile?" she asked. "What're you s'posed to be? Deadly Nightshade? Monster in the closet? I thought I was the only legend no one ever heard of." he said. Ana waved her hand over her pocket again and the Sand came. "Or are you human?" Jack said with narrowed eyes. "I saw you at that vigil. You looked really uncomfortable." Ana swung downward. The Sand hammered down, narrowly missing Jack, who rolled out of the way. "Well that struck a nerve." She heard him say.

"So will this!" Ana made a swatting motion, and the sand followed suit, arcing towards Jack like a scythe. While Jack was distracted, she moved to flank him. He wildly swung his crook, slamming it into the side of her face. Ana couldn't stay on the ground for long. She scrambled away, holding her wrist to her face. A welt was forming against her cheek. She bared her teeth, waving her hand over her pocket once more, sending a cloud of Sand flying in Frost's direction. He managed to freeze it in time, but not before, Ana broke through it, slamming into him, wrestling him for the wooden crook. It was so cold that it began to sting, but Ana held onto the wood, her fingerless leather gloves not doing much to protect her hands from the icy chill. She pushed hard, hoping to drive the wood into his throat. Jack was stronger than he looked, however, and was doing just as well as Ana.

Ana growled. She had to get the crook away from Frost. She momentarily removed one hand and jerked it back, nailing Jack in his wounded leg. She could feel what felt like cold wet water staining the elbow of her coat. She jumped away from him, his staff in hand, and made sure that he was watching when she cracked the wood over her knee, snapping it in two. Jack cried out in pain with the snapping wood. Ana threw the crook's two halves aside. Was Frost linked to the crook? Interesting info, indeed.

Jack snapped his fingers, but only feeble snowflakes danced from his fingertips, remnants of the powerful gusts of arctic fury that he usually conjured. He swore and Ana laughed.

"Ugh. If you're not too high and mighty, let me ask you this," Jack groaned, trying to get to his feet, "Did Pitch put you up to this? You've obviously got control of his sand. You a friend of his or something?" Ana stepped forward, watching the Sand as it snaked around her arm. "How about I tell you when your last bit of breath is still leaving your lungs? At least you'll have some incentive to dying." She said, laughing softly. Jack returned the laugh, but it was strained. He held a hand to his chest, where more of the white icy blood was trickling from an earlier wound. "A little dark humor. At least you're having a little fun, and y'know..." Jack lunged for his broken crook, traveling on a weak current of the wind. He scooped it up and perched on a ledge. "I'm all about fun."

Jack held the two pieces together and his blue eyes flashed. A small light ran through the crack of the pieces. Ana realized what he was doing too late. She willed the sand to propel her towards Jack, but the crook was already fixed and fully operational. Jack swung it, sending a wall of liquid ice slamming into Ana. Ana fell out the air, landing on the hard ground, now made cold by the slurry. She swore, shivering. Her coat was wet and heavy, and Jack was standing above her, blue eyes almost snowy white, conjuring up an arctic wind. It was like a blizzard in the lair of Pitch Black. She arced her hand, throwing Sand at Jack, but he froze it, and with the wind as strong as it was, shattered it and sent sharp pieces of it hurling towards Ana. She cried out loud as the pieces sliced through her coat, cutting skin. It was far below zero now, and Ana was literally freezing. She fell to her knees, hugging her small frame in a feeble attempt to keep warm. Jack watched her, only stopping the winds when he saw her collapse.

He watched her closely, then jumped down from his perch. Holding his crook defensively, Jack moved closer to her. Ana may have been just a fourteen year old girl, not supposed to be harmful at all, but she had proved to be a force to be reckoned with. She had Pitch's ruthlessness, and his drive. He obviously trusted her if he had given her his Sand. Who was she? Ana didn't stir. Her red blood stained the sheet rock floor. She was human? A human could control the Dreamsand? Jack knelt beside her. She made a whimpering noise, probably because of her recent cuts and the burning chill that had not quite subsided in her bones. He reached out to her, but recoiled quickly, stumbling as Pitch hissed, flying from the shadows. He pushed himself between Jack and Ana, hazel eyes burning.

Jack glared at him. Pitch seemed to gather himself a little better, but still came off as hostile. "She's human." Jack finally said, one eyebrow raised in wary curiosity. Pitch acknowledged the question. "Not like us." He grinned. "But I never said human." Jack looked past Pitch at Ana. "Where's she from? She's not a Guardian. And if she can still use the Sand, then what is she? Where'd you find someone like her?"

"I found her when she was small. A little mischievous thing who willingly accepted to be trained to kill pathetic things like you and the Guardians." Pitch said. "Willingly?" Jack mumbled., more to himself than Pitch. "Oh, yes. I'm sure that I don't need to remind you how close one can come to doing the wrong thing?" Pitch grinned and gestured to Jack's staff. "Only...some of us have the steeled resolve to follow our destinies." He glanced at Ana. "Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her, Frost." He looked thoughtful and shrugged his broad shoulders. "Perhaps...like finishing off your enemy?"

It all happened so quickly. Pitch dispersed in a cloud of black sand, just as a bloody Ana burst through, silver glinting in her closed fist, lunging at Jack with hazel eyes blazing. She almost seemed feral, her eyes enraged, lips curled back in a snarl, her primal roar echoing off of the walls, clashing against his own pained cry. She could feel the wet, icy liquid coating her hands, as she had used both of her pale hands to plunge the sliver into Jack's side. Ana's breathing was ragged and shaky, as though she were barely trying to contain her rage. She pushed the sliver further into the flesh, until she could no longer hold on; it was lost in skin. Jack made a choking sound, grimacing. He started to slip, feebly clenching on to her shoulder to steady himself. She still did not lose him though. She held onto his hood and hissed, breathing deep and hard.

"I promised you I would tell you." She said. "My name is Anaheim, Ana for short, but I don't think you have enough time to use the nickname." Ana gripped the cloth harder in her fist. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, manic and chilling. "And as for who I am, just know that I'm Pitch's daughter."

**Hope you enjoyed this lengthy second chapter! Don't worry, this isn't the last you will see of our Guardian of Joy!**

**-AC**


	3. Chapter 3

Story Three(?)

Ana slid down the rocky stairs, smiling at the tall dark figure below her. There was a green bandage on her right cheek, a souvenir from her recent battle. Various other bandages covered her wrists. "Pitch!" she said, mildly out of breath from scaling the walls and shelves of rock, the structures that made up Pitch black's underground lair. "I think I can go out now! I feel fine!" Ana said, cheerily. Pitch, they grey man in black, stood observing the hollow black globe in the center of the stone room. He turned halfway to look at the girl, who stumbled a little as she jumped down from one of the shelves.

"Oh? And who says?" Pitch crooned. Ana smiled apologetically.

"Sorry...I was just eager. But, Pitch, I really do feel much better. Really, I-" Ana stopped as Pitch turned to her with a look that withered all her arguments. She looked at her feet. "Sorry." She said. Pitch sighed. "Alright, look. How many days have I instructed you to rest? Even I must do so for a short period."

Ana folded her arms and grumbled, "Fear doesn't rest." Pitch watched her. "Yes, well, that was a lie, something I am good at. I am the embodiment of fear, and you are human. You are not as hardy as I am. I am immortal. I can exist forever without respite. You however, cannot." Pitch said. Ana huffed. "And anyway, I need you to be ready for our next move on the chess board." Pitch continued. Ana looked at him, confused. "Huh? What do you mean-next move on the chess board? I called checkmate when I killed Frost." Pitch grinned. Ana perked up. "The rest of them?" she said excitedly. "Yes. That's right. Which one next, my dear? I'll give you the next choice as...incentive."

Ana's eyes beamed. "As incentive for the murder of Frost."

Ana looked at the wooden crook set high above the ground on a shelf of rock. It had lost its lackluster, which it had maintained when its previous owner had been alive. The Winds had stormed and put up such a fight when she had held it in her hands, threatening to tear Pitch's lair apart. But she had sworn at it and waited for it to calm down. When it subsided into a quiet breeze, the winds sobbed in a melancholic whisper, almost as if it were sorrowful that its previous friend had died.

Ana, as her own souvenir that wasn't a scar from the fight, had saved a scrap of the blue hoodie her 'prey' had worn. It was always in her coat pocket. Thinking of Frost, Ana's eyes glinted malevolently, remembering his flitting fairy friend, the one that looked like a hummingbird. Her laughter filled her thoughts and then slowly turned into screams. That was what she wanted to hear. She had her choice. Turning to Pitch, her eyes glowing golden, she said, "I want Toothiana next."

Pitch stood watching the sand coil and writhe around the floor like snakes. His hazel eyes did not follow their movement; he seemed to be focusing on one spot in particular. Ana stepped up behind him. The band-aids and bandages were gone, Pitch had said that they would give away her condition, despite her respite for his instructed amount of time. She held open her pocket and welcomed the black Dreamsand into her pocket. She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud; she was still so proud of her ability to use the Sand. Imagine the Guardians faces once they saw her controlling it!

Especially the Sandman. She wanted him to see it personally, how even a human could use the technique derived from his own abilities. Ana moved the rest of the way to stand next to Pitch, pulling her hood over her head. "I'm ready when you are." She said. The sand seemed to be waiting for Pitch's confirmation. He ticked his head, a small movement, and the sand screamed around them, swallowing the two up in its cloud of nightmare sands.

Ana didn't know where she was. The sand cleared around her and she found herself touching down on a wooded floor. The room around her was large, wooden and airy, warm and oddly cheerful. It made her think of Christmas day, full of joy and buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Everything was painted red or green or golden, something she recognized as the festive colors of Christmas. The rooms inhabitants, large, white furred creatures, froze and stared wide-eyed at Ana and Pitch who had straightened to his full height. Ana glared out at the animals from the shadows of her hood. "Ana, my dear," Pitch said, a toothy grin on his gray face, "welcome to North's Workshop." One of the large white animals shouted something in language Ana did not understand. She reached for a silver dart from her belt and threw them so quickly, the animal didn't have time to react as three silver slivers embedded themselves in his great chest. As he collapsed, the other animals scattered or advanced upon Ana and Pitch. Ana readied yet another set of darts. The Sand, seemingly aware of the ensuing action, became restless in her pocket. Pitch nodded to her. "Allow me."

He stood perfectly still as black Dreamsand blasted from everywhere, sweeping the creatures away, screaming through the room in haunted whispers. The room was littered with the furry creatures, dazed and confused. Some retreated. Ana watched them, still ready with her slivers. "What are they?" She sniffed, then grinned, her adrenaline spiking, reacting to the scent. "They stink of fear." Pitch watched them. "Yeti. North keeps them around the Workshop. Stupid brutes if you ask me."

A voice boomed from everywhere. "What is going on?" The man who appeared was huge. His arms were like ham hocks, so large and muscled that Ana flinched at the sight of them. A white beard was carefully trimmed and huge hands were clenched into fists. The man's blue eyes had a twinkle in them, made more noticeable by the shock illuminating them as they settled on Ana and Pitch standing in the middle of the room. Ana smirked. "North."

"Pitch?" North said in disbelief. Ana heard the beating of wings and thumping of feet and smiled hugely when a familiar hummingbird hybrid and a giant gray pooka with leather straps crossing his chest appeared. "The Tooth Fairy and the Easter bunny, I presume?" Ana said, more to Pitch than the actual subjects. "Yes. Be cautious. The rabbit can be aggressive. He has a temper." Pitch answered. Ana smiled. "I can handle that." North spoke up. "Pitch! What are you doing here?" The Tooth Fairy chimed in. "Who's that girl? Is she with Pitch?"

Ana watched as Pitch took over. As he spoke to the three Guardians, Ana mostly drowned out is words, scanning the trio. Something was off. Where was the Sandman? "Ana!" Her name being called snapped her out of her thoughts. Pitch nodded her to him. She stepped up. "Why don't you introduce yourself?" he said. Ana pulled away her hood. "With pleasure." She smiled at the incredulous look the Guardians gave her. "She's...human?" Tooth gasped. Ana shifted to one foot, one hand on her hip. "Ha, funny. Frost said that same thing to me once." She giggled, as if she had thought of something humorous. "Once." The Easter bunny took a step forward. Ana tried to ignore the fact that he was unreasonably tall. In his face she could see suspicion and rising anger. It was a fierce look; Pitch was right, she would keep an eye on this one. "What are you talking about? What happened?" Ana smiled some more. This was fun. "Isn't it obvious? How about this as an example?" Ana threw the slivers hard, in the direction of Tooth, aiming for her chest. In the blink of an eye, the rabbit had knocked them away with one of his wooden boomerangs. The fairy was breathing hard in shock and fright. The rabbit advanced, charging at Pitch and Ana with amazing speed. Ana reacted first, executing a tornado kick to the rabbit's jaw.

And hell set loose.

Combating E. Bunnymund was almost tougher than fighting Jack Frost. He was aggressive and rueful, seeming to take out all the anger over having no knowledge of his missing friend on Ana. At first, he easily avoided his powerful legs, lashing out at her with a quickness that Ana admired. It was still not quick enough for her. Bunnymund recoiled now, Ana had cut one of his paws with her silver slivers. Ana happened to glance back to see how Pitch was faring. He was easily holding his own with Tooth Fairy and North, urging the Dreamsand to combat and parry all of their offenses. Black sand littered the room's floor, and dusted the air, floating down like twinkling diamonds. Ana spent a moment too long watching for Pitch and the breath left her lungs all too quickly as Bunnymund landed a hard, swift kick to her midsection.

Ana thudded across the floor, losing hold of one of her darts. Bunnymund was on her before she could cough and catch her breath. He picked her up by her hood and held her against the large globe in the center of the room. Ana struggled, but the rabbit held her fast. "Alright, you sneaky little mite. Tell me right now," he said, his voice booming. The sudden voice alerted the Tooth Fairy, whose eyes widened. "Wait, Bunny, don't hurt her! She's just-"

"Nevermind that! Tell me right now," his voice lowered menacingly as he looked her square in her golden eyes, "where's Frostbite?'

Ana giggled, strained as it may have been with the hood biting into her throat, and said, hoarsely, "F-frostbite? How sweet; you do care." She laughed some more. Now even Pitch had paused, smiling maniacally as he awaited Ana's answer. He wanted to hear this, see the expressions on the Guardian's faces. Bunnymund, growing impatient, shook Ana once and growled, "Where is Jack Frost?" Ana's eyes glowed with a primal glare, and something else, pure excitement and joy. She smiled a big smile, looking downright demented with her own glee. Slowly, she said, savoring the thought, "Dead."

Something seemed to split in the blue eyes of the Easter Bunny. Ana sneered, dropped to the floor and kicked out at a shocked Bunnymund, who staggered back on unsure feet. Ana could see it in his face; something inside him was broken. "Th-that's not true...that's not..." Tooth Fairy's eyes were welled and wet with tears, and she suddenly dropped from the air to the floor, her wings ceasing to beat. Ana turned to look at her. "Oh, but isn't it?"

"It's not. You lie." North said, his voice strong, but even Ana could sense the uncertainty in his face. Ana snorted. "Heh. Well then, North, would you like to tell me how I chanced to come across this?" Ana reached slowly into her pocket, thumbing the fabric as she brought out the scrap of blue hoodie. She held it up for the Guardians to see. "This familiar to anyone?" The Tooth Fairy made a choking sobbing noise. Ana brought the scrap closer to her. "It's my prized possession. Well, y'know. Not counting that crook." She said lovingly. She meant it. Just to be gruesome, she added, "Hm... I wonder if a winter spirit's heart is blue? Maybe if the stench isn't too bad, I should go dig him up and find out."

The Easter Bunny snapped. "Pitch!" he roared, leaping from the floor to charge the Spirit of Fear. Ana reacted in a blink; the sand shot out of her pocket, picked her up and cut Bunnymund off from Pitch. Ana controlled the Sand, watching with a grin as the sand coiled around the rabbit, constricting and twisting, catching him in a Dreamsand web. "Hey, hold on, a minute. What are you screaming at Pitch for?" Ana said, feigning confusion. "I'm the one who killed Frost, not him." She paused, pretending to think then added, "Well, he helped, at least."

"No!" North breathed, watching Ana with wide eyes. Tooth Fairy looked up at the trio in the air. "North, look! It can't be! She's...she's controlling the Dreamsand. But," Tooth Fairy watched the girl riding the black Dreamsand, "She's human!" Ana heard her and looked down at them. "No fair. Don't count me out the game just because I'm not like you." She frowned. "In fact..." The sand was like a whip, flying out and clutching the hummingbird fairy and North in a claw like grip. Pitch moved to stand beside Ana, conjoining his own swirling cloud of Sand to hers. "I see you've gotten better."

"Thanks." Ana said with a grin. "So now, my dear. I gave you the choice. Make your move." Pitch said, looking across the now captured Guardians. Ana nodded, sitting cross-legged on her cloud, looking very much like a child picking out sweets. Her gaze fell on Toothiana. "Hm." She smirked. "Black queen takes white queen for crippling blow against white team." Ana raised her arm and made a downward smashing motion with her right hand; the sand followed her motion and slammed North and Bunnymund into the ground, pinning them there.

"Now let's see..." Ana said, wondering how she was to kill Toothiana in the most satisfying way possible, "What will it be? Would you prefer to see how I killed your stupid boyfriend, or would you rather I be creative with your death?" She willed the sand to squeeze the hummingbird tighter. "Either way, it's endgame for you, Tooth Fairy."

Struggling and desperately trying to keep her head in the current situation, the fairy managed to rasp out, "Oh...I wonder how such a sweet little girl...could end up like this."

Ana's eyes flashed. The sand constricted tighter. "Who the...who do you think you are? You don't know me! Don't you even pretend for a second that you know me!"

"Agh...but I do, Ana!..." the fairy said. "I've been with you since you were little...collected your teeth...I know your memories...I know you." Ana's eyes went dead, and then all too suddenly flared back to life. "I thought I knew you when I saw you. I was r-right." The fairy continued.

"Shut up! How can you say that when no one knows me! How can you say that?" she screamed. Pitch sensed her rage too late. Ana threw her arm in the direction of the floor, and the sand followed, slamming the hummingbird fairy into the wood. Tooth cried out. Ana's breath was ragged and she was unsettled. "I do know you Ana! H-how could I not when I even ventured to collect your teeth while you were in that hole?" Ana's eyes widened with her own frightened realization. "S-shut up..."

"You don't have to feel like you're walking alone anymore, Ana. You can go back. Back to how it used to be."

"I hated how it used to be!" Ana flared. "You loved your life back then! You were the happiest little girl! You let Pitch get to you...he's made you dark. Filled you up with hate for everything."

"Shut up."

"No one ever forgot about you."

"Stop."

Tooth said quietly, "We'll protect you."

Ana screamed. "I said shut up!" The sand exploded, and Ana hovered in the air momentarily before she fell to the ground. The black Dreamsand raining down was mixed with golden sand, sprinkling Ana and the others with the stuff. She shielded her eyes from the sand so it wouldn't fall into her eyes. "What happened?" she asked, dazed. Her sand had exploded suddenly, and left her fallen on the floor. Had she lost control? No. There was golden dust mixed in with her black sand. That only meant...

Ana looked up to see the little golden man of legend floating on his cloud of Dreamsand above her. His golden eyes flashed, smiling warmly at his cohorts, and then the Sandman gave Ana an undecipherable look. A golden question mark formed above his round head as he titled his head curiously at her. Ana shrank under his gaze, her eyes widening a bit in fear. This was the Sandman, skilled at the use of Dreamsand; he was the one who'd invented it after all. And here she was, thinking she was invincible with her own sand, when she had only learned to use it a few days ago. Ana looked at the floor, her eyes blank.

Sandman's eyes looked to North and Bunnymund and the Tooth Fairy, who limped to her friends. His finger ticked off each one as he counted them; another question mark formed over his head. Ana suddenly dreaded this situation. She looked to Pitch, who simply sniffed and regarded his nails. Why wasn't he attacking? Now a familiar face was formed in the sand over his head: Frost. Ana scrambled up from her knees and bolted, running for anywhere, anywhere away from the Guardians. "Hey! Little ankle-biter's runnin'!" Bunnymund shouted, dashing after her. Roughly tackling her, the pooka held onto her, while she screamed. It was a scream that emanated fear, not anger or frustration. What could have made her snap? Was it the things the Tooth Fairy had said? They'd gotten to her, messed with her head. What could she believe anymore?

"Honestly, child, what possessed you to do such a thing?" Pitch's voice was behind her, far away, it seemed. Ana was hyperventilating now. "Just get me out of here!" she screamed. "Please!" Pitch's voice was slow. "And why would I do that? Are you running to avoid the wrath of these deserters? How cowardly." Ana struggled feebly under the rabbit's hold. "Pitch! I need your help!" Pitch smirked. "Very well then." He said after agonizing moments. nightMares ran wild across the room, neighing and biting and stomping. North unsheathed his swords, brandishing them at each one that came after him, while the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy did their best to combat the others. Bunnymund held onto Ana by her arm, throwing his boomerangs one by one, and catching them again. Once, he lost his hold of her, and she scrambled back. One of the nightMares recognized her fear as great, and slowly, not seeming to recognize her, charged at her. Panicked, Ana set her face stern, which had become instinctive, and in one swift motion, retrieved a dart from her belt and hurled it into the nightMare's head. It was her last one; to combat the next few who came after her, she had to use her back-up weapons, a dagger and a silver claw. She stabbed a nightMare in the long bridge of its nose, and the other in the chest, as she ducked down to avoid it. Pitch saw her. "What are you doing?" he hissed through his teeth. Ana didn't respond, swallowing, trying to keep her face steeled.

She had distracted Pitch enough for the Sandman to snap his Dreamsand whip across his face. Pitch recoiled and growled. He swiped his hand and the nightMares imploded, all of their sand retreated back to him. "I can't say that I approve of your actions, Ana. I am more than a little disappointed. You let your fear get the better of you," he said, then smirked, "and you seemed so sure when you killed Frost." Shock flashed across the Sandman's golden eyes. He glanced at the other Guardians as if to confirm this. "Well, I see that this tedium needs to be fixed, one way or another."

Pitch was a blur, swooping down on Ana with a frightening speed. Ana slashed with her dagger, nicking his face with one of her swings. She was doing all she could to survive; she couldn't let Pitch take her back to that hole. Something about her life was wrong. She had to fix it...

Pitch's sand overwhelmed her, catching in her throat and enveloping her in her own fear. "There is no room for cowardice from the world's next leader." He said, sarcastically putting emphasis on 'leader'. "I'll see to that personally." Ana struggled in his grip. Just before the sand enveloped her in its darkened void, she felt a hand grab hers, holding onto her like a lifeline. Ana found herself staring into the blue eyes of the Tooth Fairy, who was struggling to hold onto her herself. "I've got you!" she shouted. She pulled on her arm, trying to drag her out. "Guys! Help me!" she called to the others; the sand was pulling Ana in harder, and she knew it. Her face was full of fear.

The Tooth Fairy looked helplessly at her, as Ana made a choking gasping noise and sank further into the sand. She could feel the fairy's hand ripped from hers as Bunnymund suddenly appeared and pulled her away.

Everything was dark.

"Why did you do that?" the fairy said, looking from the rabbit to the dissipating sand. "You were almost sucked inside, what was I supposed to do?" he replied. They watched the remnants of the sand. "Such a sweet little girl..." the fairy said sorrowfully.

**Are you guys liking the story? **

**-AC**


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